The present invention relates generally to a printing device. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a printing device for marking an outline of an opening to be cut in a wall for installing a GEM electrical outlet box in the wall.
The installation of an electrical outlet box in an existing wall generally requires an electrician to hold the box against the wall while leveling the box with a level to trace the exterior perimeter of the electrical outlet box on the wall. The electrician then cuts the opening in the wall based upon the tracing of the electrical outlet box. The openings that result through the practice of tracing the electrical outlet box generally do not provide a clean fit and generally must be trimmed further to accommodate the electrical outlet box. This requires additional time and effort by the electrician.
Accordingly, devices have been developed for facilitating the marking of an outline for cutting an opening to install an electrical outlet box in a wall. Many of the devices known in the prior art are configured to address new construction where the electrical outlet boxes are initially installed to the wall framing (studs) prior to the installation of the sheet rock. These devices are configured to print the outline on the back face of the panel and are configured to be attached to the outlet box during printing. (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,226,882; 6,101,731; 4,589,211; 3,913,235; and 3,745,664;). Other devices are configured to address situations where the sheet rock is already in place and an outlet box is now being added to an existing room. (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,223,445; 6,209,214; 5,813,130; 5,615,490; 5,222,303; and 6,810,598).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,130 to MacDowell and U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,214 to Talayera disclose templates having a pair of levels for drawing the outline of an opening to be cut in a wall. In particular, the '130 patent to MacDowell includes a plate, and first and second levels. The plate is formed with an opening configured to conform with a GEM electrical box outlet. The first level is mounted to the plate for horizontal leveling of the template while the second level is mounted to the plate for providing vertical leveling of the template. Similarly the '214 patent to Talayera includes a base and at least one level for positioning the template. The shape of the base is generally configured to conform with a GEM electrical box. The devices disclosed in both the MacDowell and Talayera patents requires the user to utilize a separate marking instrument, e.g., pen or pencil, for marking the outline on the wall. Accordingly, the user must use two hands for marking the outline on the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,445 to Schuette, Jr., et al. discloses a device and method for installing and supporting an electrical outlet box. The device is very similar to the template tool disclosed in the Talayera patent in that the template tool includes a base with a level. The perimeter of the base in the '445 Schuette, Jr., et al. patent however is substantially rectangular. That is, the perimeter does not take into account the actual perimeter of a GEM electrical outlet box.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,882 to Barr discloses a device for marking an outline on a sheet of material for defining a portion of the material to be cut out. The device includes a rubberstamp configured to print the outline of the material to be cut out on the interior side of a sheet of drywall. The device is configured to be mounted to an outlet box that is already installed and includes a rubberstamp and a spring loaded contact pad. The contact pad is configured to prevent the inadvertent marking of the wall prior to the application of sufficient pressure to engage the rubberstamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,664 to Altseimer discloses an apparatus for marking the blind side of a drywall panel for cutting a hole for an electrical outlet box. The apparatus is used in construction when the drywall is being installed after the electrical outlet box has been attached to a stud. The apparatus includes a stamp for marking the outline of the electrical outlet box and a plurality of legs for engaging the outlet box.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,235 to Tenneson et al. discloses an apparatus for marking an outline of an opening on a panel to be installed over an electrical outlet box. The apparatus includes a stamp having a rectangular shape and a plurality of projections that are configured to cooperate with the electrical outlet box to hold the stamp in place while marking the blind side of the panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,303 to Jardine discloses a template for marking the location of junction boxes. The template includes a plate formed with an aperture and generally includes a leveling means. The aperture is configured to be the shape of a junction box or other electrical device receptacle while the leveling means is generally a pair of bubble-type levels.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,731 to Mesa discloses a system for locating an opening to be cut in new drywall panels that are installed after the electrical outlets. In the system, a plurality of pins for penetrating the drywall are initially attached to the outlet box which is already mounted to the stud framing. During the installation of the drywall, the pins penetrate the drywall to define the region of the drywall to be cut out.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,211 to Policka discloses a paneling template for marking the position of an electrical outlet box on the backside of a wall panel. The template includes a rectangular base with four felt tipped posts that extend outwardly from the corners of the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,598 to Boys discloses an adjustable template including a stud finder. The user places the template on a pre-existing wall and uses the stud finder to position the template. After the template is positioned, it is then attached to the wall using pins. The user then cuts the outlet box opening using the outline provided by the template. A problem with the device disclosed in the Boys patent is that the wall is damaged when the pins are pushed into the wall surface. Accordingly, the user must take additional time to repair the wall after the template is removed.
Each of the methods and apparatus described above has inherent shortcomings, and it is an object of the present invention to overcome such shortcomings and to provide a device for facilitating the printing of an outline of an opening to be cut in the wall for installing a GEM electrical box.